All Equality & Diversity courses

This talk by Dr Lucy Delap looks at the history of feminism from a global perspective, with particular attention to how women of the global South engaged with questions of women’s rights and freedoms in the past 200 years.

Based on her recently published, Feminisms: A Global History (Penguin 2020), the presentation explores connections and encounters between activists spanning struggles in Egypt, Nigeria, Spain, Britain, and Japan. The event is designed to allow plenty of time to discuss and debate the history and present day forms that feminist activism has taken, and all are invited to the conversation.

Lucy Delap teaches history at the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of Murray Edwards College. She has published widely on the history of feminism, gender, labour, and religion, including the prize-winning The Feminist Avant-Garde: Transatlantic Encounters of the Early Twentieth Century, Knowing Their Place: Domestic Service in Twentieth Century Britain in 2011, and Feminisms: A Global History in 2020

This workshop would be of benefit to someone who has taken a period of maternity, adoption, paternity/maternity support, or shared parental leave and returned to work. It could also be of interest to anyone who needs to re-evaluate their work/family balance and career direction.

The workshop covers concerns and fears about managing work and family commitments going forward, and how to do so without guilt. We will also cover why “good enough is good enough”, the importance of self-care and finding support from those around you.

Becoming a parent is a huge life event, it can be difficult and stressful. To support University staff we are offering two new workshops to support staff to navigate through this life change.

Open to those who are about to take, or have already returned from, a period of maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, the workshops will be held in small groups to encourage personal reflection and discussion with others.

They will be facilitated by a qualified coach and member of the EDI team who will help individuals navigate their personal change journeys during the transition to and from parental leave. Links and information on internal policies and resources will also be made available.

Please note these sessions will be run face to face, however if you would be interested in a virtual session please do indicate your interest and we will look at organising these at a later date.

A series of four, hour-long workshops facilitated by Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses. These sessions were designed as stand-alone workshops that complement one another - so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops are delivered via Zoom as a mixture of informational slides and reflective activities to give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives. Each workshop begins and ends with a brief guided mindfulness or relaxation exercise.

Workshop 4: Freedom and Responsibility The feeling of being 'stuck' can cause great distress. This workshop looks at how we can identify opportunities for choice and freedom even in situations where our options may seem very limited. We will consider ways to take up our responsibility to ourselves, by making deliberate choices about how to use our time and emotional energy, bolstering our sense of dignity and autonomy.

Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email.

This series of four workshops is designed to help participants build sustainable practices to support their wellbeing and resilience in the face of life's inevitable stresses.

Each session in the series is designed as a stand-alone workshop, so anyone may attend all four workshops or just one on its own. The workshops give participants a chance to explore aspects of wellbeing in the context of their own lives.

Originally run in October 2020, and being repeated due to their popularity, Kate Ahl of the Staff Counselling Centre, will introduce each session - an edited recording of the original event - and will be available to answer questions.

Workshop 4: Freedom and Responsibility

The feeling of being 'stuck' can cause great distress. This workshop looks at how we can identify opportunities for choice and freedom even in situations where our options may seem very limited. We will consider ways to take up our responsibility to ourselves, by making deliberate choices about how to use our time and emotional energy, bolstering our sense of dignity and autonomy.

Zoom joining link will be provided on your booking confirmation email.

Pregnancy Loss, Infertility & Childlessness: The Current Picture & Best Practice Recommendations for Supporting Colleagues

Within this informative, yet sensitive webinar, delegates are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to more adequately support those experiencing pregnancy loss, infertility and/or childlessness. Notably, delegates have the opportunity to explore the:

• Prevalence of pregnancy loss, infertility and childlessness (showcasing of current research and statistics).
• Physical and psychological impact of each issue (lived experiences to illuminate key implications).
• Impact on partners, who are often overlooked.
• Different types of pregnancy loss and fertility treatments.
• Interventions for pregnancy loss and their potential effects.
• Employee rights at work.
• How to support a colleague who discloses (communication training).
• Available support/where to turn.
• Pro-natal practices and conversations which may be triggering for affected employees.
• Q&A.

Bio: Katy Schnitzler is the Founder of MIST Workshops Ltd., a company providing training, policy writing and support for pregnancy loss, infertility and childlessness at work. Katy is also an academic, and so her training content is informed by the most current research, notably findings from her PhD. Katy has worked with various organisations to improve practice in these prevalent and significant (yet often overlooked) areas - including global energy companies, universities and The NHS.

This year's World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10 October has a theme of suicide prevention.

Yvonne McPartland, Deputy Head of the Staff Counselling Centre, will be delivering a session on suicide prevention for staff in Cambridge. The shocking reality is that suicide is the most common cause of death in men aged under 50 and the suicide rate is currently increasing after many years of decline. This equates to more than 6,000 deaths by suicide annually in the UK and Ireland.

The session is designed to give staff the confidence to challenge the taboo around suicide that makes it such a difficult subject to broach, with colleagues, family members, friends and even total strangers: what is it OK to say, what should I be looking for and what should I do next? The session will increase awareness around suicide, dispel some myths and share some lessons from experience at the Staff Counselling Centre. It will also remind staff what the centre can offer them. The message is that having a conversation could really save a life.

Jenny and Amy would like to invite WSN members to share your thoughts about the Network and help shape the events, activities and networking opportunities you would like to see in the future. They are holding two sessions on the following dates and would love you to join them:

Monday 7th December 12:30-13:00

Wednesday 9th December 12:20 - 13:00

During the 'National Talk Money Week' (12-18 November) the University's Women's Staff Network is holding three events to present a simple toolkit and conversation guide about the financial moments that matter in women's lives.

We will also seek feedback on WSN activities, events and topics.

During the 'National Talk Money Week' (12-18 November) the University's Women's Staff Network is holding three events to present a simple toolkit and conversation guide about the financial moments that matter in women's lives.

We will also seek feedback on WSN activities, events and topics.

During the 'National Talk Money Week' (12-18 November) the University's Women's Staff Network is holding three events to present a simple toolkit and conversation guide about the financial moments that matter in women's lives.

We will also seek feedback on WSN activities, events and topics.

Yin yoga is a slow deep practice perfect for the body and mind to find synchronicity and balance.

While the body lets go of tension held in the muscles, helping you find a soothing deep stretch, yin is suitable for all and simply requires a few yoga blocks, bricks a cushion or three and a space to lie down, if you've a cat or dog that like to stretch with you - perfect!

We'll finish our practice with a yoga Nidra, known as yogic sleep.

This session will be delivered by Sarah-Cate Blake from the Fitzwilliam Museum Learning Team

Please join the Murray Edwards College Library for Yoga with Valerie. Valerie is a professional yoga instructor who has retrained as a librarian. Combining her skills, she offers the perfect wind down on Fridays at 3pm with Yoga in the library!

Please join us on Friday 26th June at 3 – 4 pm for a relaxing end to the week with some restorative yoga with Valerie – no experience necessary. All you need is a quiet space, Zoom connection, and comfortable clothing.

Joining instructions will be provided on your booking confirmation email.